diff --git a/package/busybox/busybox.mk b/package/busybox/busybox.mk
index af1d13f7ec..3d87cd78bf 100644
--- a/package/busybox/busybox.mk
+++ b/package/busybox/busybox.mk
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ define BUSYBOX_INSTALL_WATCHDOG_SCRIPT
 	[ -f $(TARGET_DIR)/etc/init.d/S15watchdog ] || \
 		install -D -m 0755 package/busybox/S15watchdog \
 			$(TARGET_DIR)/etc/init.d/S15watchdog && \
-		sed -i s/PERIOD/$(call qstrip,$(BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX_WATCHDOG_PERIOD))/ \
+		$(SED) s/PERIOD/$(call qstrip,$(BR2_PACKAGE_BUSYBOX_WATCHDOG_PERIOD))/ \
 			$(TARGET_DIR)/etc/init.d/S15watchdog
 endef
 endif